United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has raised his stakes with plans to set up an eight person secretariat, headed by a senior official at a director level (D-2), to facilitate the work of his advisory panel on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

National Freedom Front Leader Wimal Weerawansa, who tendered his resignation as Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities, will continue to remain as a cabinet minister and hold the same portfolio, a senior government spokesman said yesterday.